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CFI opposes In God We Trust motto

March 22, 2011

CFI Opposes ‘In God We Trust’ Resolution

The motto violates the constitutional separation of church and state

Amherst, NY-March 22, 2011-At a time when the United States is facing serious mounting economic issues and global tensions, House leaders are focusing on a resolution promoting display of “In God We Trust” in public schools and other public buildings.

H. Con. Res 13, a resolution introduced by Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA), is divisive and a diversion from dealing with pressing national concerns.

“This proposed resolution is a slap in the face not only of the nonreligious, but also of every American who supports the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state,” observed Ronald A. Lindsay, president & CEO of the Center for Inquiry (CFI). “The American people should be free to come to their own conclusions on religious issues without prodding, oversight, or manipulation by the government. God-if there is one-does not need the government as a publicist.”

CFI has a special interest in this issue. Part of its mission is to advocate for freedom of conscience and the rights of nonbelievers.
Moreover, it is currently running an ad campaign in three cities (Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, and Houston) that conveys the message that a person can have a meaningful, fulfilling life without believing in God. The government’s declaration that all Americans are dependent on God denies this obvious truth and stigmatizes the nonreligious as un-American.
For information on this action, visit
https://www.livingwithoutreligion.org/
.

Congress adopted “In God We Trust” as the national motto in 1956 during the Cold War when American leaders wanted to distinguish the United States from the communist Soviet Union.

The Center for Inquiry is a nonprofit educational, advocacy, and research organization based in Amherst, New York. CFI is home to both the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and the Council for Secular Humanism. The mission of CFI is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values. Our web address is
https://www.centerforinquiry.net
.